In this episode, Tyler Wigg-Stevenson shares his journey of planting St. George's Grange Park in downtown Toronto. He discusses the church's mission to serve the community, the revival within the Anglican Church, and his personal faith journey from a secular upbringing to becoming a pastor. Tyler emphasizes the importance of collaboration among churches in Toronto and the need for leaders in ministry. He also shares stories from the first month of the church's reopening and offers insights for other leaders navigating ministry in a diverse urban environment.

Tyler is the Vicar of St. George’s Grange Park, a new Anglican church plant in the heart of Downtown Toronto. He also serves as Associate Priest at St. Paul’s Bloor Street (Toronto), the planting church. Prior to entering pastoral ministry he founded and led the Two Futures Project, a Christian organization committed to the abolition of nuclear weapons. He is the author of several books, including the award-winning "The World is Not Ours to Save," and holds a Ph.D. in theology from the University of St. Michael’s College. He and his wife, Natalie, a theologian, have three young daughters and live in Toronto’s east end.

Takeaways:
+St. George's Grange Park aims to serve downtown Toronto.
+The Anglican Church is experiencing a revival, especially with Alpha.
+Tyler's journey to faith was unconventional and transformative.
+The church's mission is rooted in community transformation.
+Collaboration among churches is vital for growth and unity.
+The importance of encountering God in worship services.
+Tyler emphasizes the need for leaders in ministry.
+Personal prayer and reliance on the Holy Spirit are crucial.
+Family health challenges have shaped Tyler's ministry approach.
+The church is committed to planting more churches in the future.

Chapters
00:00 Welcome and Introduction to St. George's Grange Park
05:09 Understanding the Anglican Church and Its Revival
12:00 Tyler's Journey to Faith and Ministry
19:01 The Vision Behind Planting St. George's Grange Park
23:21 Experiences and Stories from the First Month
29:30 Collaboration Among Churches in Toronto
34:41 Advice for Shepherding in a Diverse City
41:53 Closing Thoughts and Prayer Requests

To learn more about Tyler and St.George's Grange Park or St.Paul's, please visit http://sggp.church or http://stpaulsbloor.org.

In this episode, James Clarence of Cornerstone Church in Yellowknife, NWT, shares his journey of faith, from being a pastor's kid to experiencing a profound encounter with God that led him to ministry. He discusses the challenges he faced in his early ministry career, the transition to Yellowknife, and the importance of prophetic words in guiding his path. James emphasizes the need for revival in Canada and the role of the church in reconciliation with indigenous peoples, highlighting the unique opportunities for ministry in the North.

James and his wife, Karina Clarence pastored in Calgary, Alberta at First Assembly Church for 11 years. They have two daughters, Kendrick and Lennon and are welcoming a son to their family this fall.

Now, they join the Cornerstone Team as the Lead Pastors. James loves the Oilers, skiing & golf! Karina loves interior design, painting and going to the gym. But, more than those things, they love people deeply. Their family is committed to the cause of the local church, by extending God’s kingdom, and they are passionate about mining out all the gold in God’s people. They believe with all their hearts that God has a plan for the church in Canada & they’ve given their life to see a move of God come again to our nation.

Takeaways:
+James grew up in a pastoral family and accepted Christ at a young age.
+He faced challenges fitting in during his teenage years.
+A pivotal moment at a party led him to commit to following God.
+James transitioned from wanting to be a ski instructor to pursuing ministry.
+He experienced prophetic words that confirmed his calling to ministry.
+His early ministry involved significant challenges and learning experiences.
+James felt called to serve in Yellowknife to address the needs of the community.
+He emphasizes the importance of building relationships and community in ministry.
+James believes in the potential for revival in Canada, particularly in the North.
+He encourages raising up leaders from within Canada for future ministry.

To learn more about James and Cornerstone, please visit https://www.ykcornerstone.church/ or https://www.instagram.com/jamesclarence/.

In this episode, Matt is joined by Elita Friesen of The Way Church in Vancouver.  Elita shares disciplines and rhythms she practices to maintain balance, as well as how she and her husband are leading their family in spiritual practices.

Elita is a writer and Bible teacher and has served in various ministry capacities for the last 10 years. She currently serves on the teaching and pastoral team at The Way Church, a church with locations in both Vancouver and North Vancouver. Elita feels uniquely called to encourage this generation not only toward biblical literacy, but also toward a deep love of Jesus through the study of Scripture. She is the author of several books including The Whole Church.  Elita and her husband, Ryan, live in the Lower Mainland of BC with their four children.

To learn more about the Canadian Church Leaders Network (CCLN) please visit https://www.ccln.ca/.

In this episode, Matt is joined by Shaila Visser, the National Director of Alpha Canada and the Global Senior Vice-President for Alpha International. She is the Executive Producer of both The Alpha Youth Film Series (2013) and The Alpha Film Series (2016), and currently holds a position on the Board of the Damascus Road Foundation.

Shaila has a heart for people coming to know Jesus and is passionate about helping the local church flourish. She is a gifted communicator who is known for her strategic leadership as well as her ability to bring people together.

Shaila loves hiking, beaches, next generation leaders, her big anglo-Indian family, and achieving new goals- whether that be fitness, books, or learning. Shaila lives in Vancouver BC with her husband, Ryan Visser, a Vancouver Police Officer, and their four-legged family members, Talon and Benny.

To learn more about Shaila, visit https://www.shailavisser.com/ and to learn more about Alpha, visit https://alphacanada.org/. 

Matt is joined by Harold Peasley, a pastor to pastors for the Canadian National Baptist Convention (CNBC), in the Toronto region.  Harold shares lessons he has learned on his nearly 80-year journey and encourages pastors to keep going.

Harold was born in South Africa and served the Church there until his retirement when he immigrated to Canada to be closer to one of his children and grandchildren.  Harold is married to Antionette and they live in Oakville.

To learn more about the Canadian National Baptist Convention (CNBC), please visit https://www.cnbc.ca. 

In this episode, Matt is joined by Andrew Lamme, Director of Send Network Canada.  Andrew talks about his journey and history as a counsellor and specifically, working with men struggling with sexual addiction.

Andrew transitioned from the corporate world to a licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in 2002. He soon joined a church plant in Oakville, ON, and evolved into a role focused on assessment and coaching, collaborating with North American denominations and networks amidst developing church planting systems. Since 2011, Andrew has been working with NAMB in various roles across Canada and was appointed Regional Director for Canada in 2019. He remains active in his local church plant’s leadership. Married to Erin for over 35 years, Andrew cherishes time with his children and grandchildren.

To learn more about NAMB Canada, please visit http://nambcanada.ca/.

In this episode, Matt is joined by Chris Vacher, the Director of Clearway, an organization focused on helping churches move their ministry forward.

Chris is a husband, father, and consultant with 20+ years of leadership experience. His passion is to help churches faithfully realize their God-given vision.

Chris has served as an Executive Pastor, board member, mentor, and coach to dozens of organizations and thousands of leaders.

His first-hand experience of the world of church leadership combined with graduate education and certifications provides a distinct and unique perspective to church leaders facing all kinds of challenges.

Chris’ strategic thinking and ability to inspire leaders and organizations toward Kingdom-driven objectives provides significant value as churches navigate their way forward.

Matt and Chris discuss discernment in decisions, identifying primary calling in life, as well as a venn diagram for ministry. 

To learn more about Chris and Clearway, please visit https://clearway.co/clearway-about-us/.

In this episode, Matt is joined by church planter, pastor and Send City Missionary, Nate Vedoya of Church in the Valley in Edmonton, Alberta.  Nate talks about his experience as a Filipino Canadian and how he planted a church that he hoped would become multiethnic.

Born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Nate has been part of church planting as far back as he can remember. Over the years, Nate and his wife, Adele (Deen-Deen), have been involved in multiple ethnic church plants as well as community-focused church planting. Nate and his family planted Church in the Valley in Spring 2015, intentionally adopting a bivocational approach. Nate became Send City missionary for Edmonton in March 2018 and believes that all types of churches are needed to reach all types of people.

To learn more about Send Network's work in the city of Edmonton and to contact Nate, please visit https://www.namb.net/send-network/send-city/edmonton/.

In this episode, Matt is joined by Andrew Lang, Interim Executive Director of Living Hope Native Ministries and Executive Director of the New Hope Youth Center in Thunder Bay. 

Andrew talks about his calling to serve First Nations communities, the challenges and opportunities, as well as the experience of First Nations youth. He loves seeing others succeed and hearing all the great stories of how staff are sharing the love of God with people. Andrew wants to see more First Nations leadership and youth in Thunder Bay making decisions to follow Jesus.

To learn more about Living Hope Native Ministries, please visit https://lhnm.org/.

To learn more about the New Hope Youth Center, please visit https://nhyc.ca/.

To learn about and research the Truth & Reconciliation Commission of Canada, please visit https://nctr.ca/about/history-of-the-trc/truth-and-reconciliation-commission-of-canada/. 

In part one of a two episode miniseries, Matt is joined by Kim McGibbon, the Director of the Send Relief Ministry Center in Hamilton, Ontario.   Matt and Kim discuss ministry to refugees and newcomers to Canada, as well as how to develop ministry of compassion out of a local church.

Kim's heart for people in the margins of society, as well as her extensive experience in entrepreneurship and compassionate leadership, have well equipped her to serve as Send Relief's Toronto Ministry Center Director. With 20 years of ministry experience as a church planter's wife, McGibbon has previously served as a champion for both Send Toronto and the Canadian National Baptist Convention. She is married to Jason McGibbon, lead pastor of The Hamilton Fellowships—the most recent of their three church plants—and is a loving mother to four adult children: Daniel, Liam, Caroline, and T.J. Before starting a family, planting churches and engaging with other service opportunities, McGibbon started her own special events company in which she helped to merge organizations, grow small businesses and lead her team well as Vice President, eventually making her company the largest special events business in all of Canada.

To learn more about Send Relief, take courses and plan a visit, checkout https://www.sendrelief.org/projects/toronto-ministry-center/.

In this episode, Matt is joined by Pastor Jon Thompson of Sanctus Church in the Durham Region of Ontario.   Matt and Jon discuss the background and foundation of Sanctus' restoration prayer ministry, as well as the process for developing a spiritual theology to interpret spiritual experience from a biblical worldview.

Jon joined Sanctus Church as a teenager after returning to Canada from his childhood years in Ecuador as the only child of missionary parents. He was hired on as the Youth Pastor before assuming his current role on the Pastoral Lead Team. When not immersed in leadership, prayer, and theology textbooks, Jon’s most important roles include husband to his wife Joanna and father to three kids – Hannah, Emma, and Noah. As a family they are fond of great Thai food, strong coffee, the latest technology gadgets, trips to the East Coast, concerts, and Netflix.

To learn more and signup for Sanctus' Restoration Prayer Conference, please visit https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/restoration-prayer-conference-tickets-838953611837?aff=rebrandly. 

In this episode, Matt is joined by co-lead pastor of Base Church, Brandon Richardson.  Brandon shares the journey of merging Slate Church with Koinonia Christian Fellowship to form one new church, Base Church, as well as the ups and downs of ministry along the way. 

Brandon co-leads Base Church with his wife, Emma.  They are passionate about making disciples of Jesus and they have had the privilege of serving together with their four kids in Waterloo, Ontario since 2014.

Since planting Slate Church in 2017 and launching Base Church in 2024, countless lives have been transformed by the love of Jesus and they continue to pray for renewal of the church in Ontario.

To learn more about Base Church, please visit https://www.base.church/about.

Alexander Krupin was born in Ukraine and moved to Canada when he was 14. He came to faith through reading the New Testament he received at a local food bank. Alexander shares the importance of building genuine relationships with our Slavic neighbors as a way to foster community and share the gospel. He also reflects on how owning a decking company has been a blessing to his involvement in church ministry.

Takeaways:
+A lot of Slavic people struggle to connect with locals.
+Short-term friendliness often masks deeper cultural barriers.
+Inviting Slavic families for dinner can help build connections.
+Genuine friendship is key to sharing the gospel.
+Don't approach relationships with an agenda; be authentic.
+Understanding shared human experiences fosters deeper connections.
+Jesus' relationship with Zacchaeus serves as a model for friendship.
+Cultural differences should be acknowledged and embraced.
+Long-term relationships are more effective for gospel sharing.
+Building trust takes time and effort, but is worthwhile.

00:00 Introduction and Alex's Background
03:42 Exposure to Christianity and Identity Crisis
06:33 Desire to Get Closer to God and Discovering the Scriptures
10:01 Immigrating to Canada and Motivating Factors
11:51 The Slavic Community and Views on Evangelical Protestantism
14:27 Openness and Hardness to the Gospel in the Slavic Community
17:55 Journey from Coming to Christ to Pastoring a Church
23:48 Glorifying God in Business and Ministry
32:42 Tropinka Summer Camp: Reaching the Slavic Community
36:04 The Co-Vocational Model: Everyone in Ministry
38:50 The Current State of the War in Ukraine
41:35 Connecting with and Supporting Slavic Neighbors

To learn more about Tropinka Summer Camp visit https://www.tropinka.ca/.
To learn more about Light to the World Church visit https://lightchurchtoronto.org/.

In this episode, Matt is joined by Earl Marshall, Director of Great Commission Collective Canada (GCC).  Matt and Earl discuss the discipleship need across Canada and in our churches, as well as how to form healthy leadership teams.

Earl has been serving GCC since its inception, before moving officially into the role of Executive Director in 2024. He is married to Brenda and together they share a desire to see disciples made and leaders strengthened for the Church of Jesus Christ. The Lord has graciously allowed Earl to serve the Church in Canada and around the world as a Dean, Professor, Senior Pastor, and a Trainer of church planters.

If you want to learn more about Earl and GCC, please visit https://gccollective.ca/leadership/.

In this episode, Matt is joined by Chad MacDonald and Jeremy Dager, co-lead pastors of Port City Church in Halifax, NS.  Chad and Jeremy share about their individual callings to Atlantic Canada and how God brought them together to plant a church in team.   They share the ups and downs of planting in team but also the benefits.

Port City Church exists to help people encounter Jesus and follow His way.
They see Halifax as a strategic city to fulfill the mission that God has given us.  Halifax is home to one of the largest natural ports in the world, which means that at 71 metres deep, God created Halifax as a strategic outpost for importing and exporting. Certainly the world sees Halifax as a strategic place to import goods and services, but they see Halifax as a strategic outpost for importing and exporting the greatest “good”... the gospel.

To learn more about Chad, Jeremy and Port City Church, please visit https://portcitychurch.ca/who-we-are.

To learn more about C3 Canadian Campus Collective, please visit https://www.canadiancampuscollective.ca/.

In this episode, Matt is joined by Ken Taylor, pastor of Grace Community Church in Guelph, ON., and planting and founding pastor of Creekside Church in Waterloo, ON.

As a seasoned leader, Ken has much to share about leadership, relationships and pitfalls of the average pastor and leader. Ken shares about planting and leading Creekside Church for 35 years ago and then making his most recent ministry transition.   Ken pursued relationships with other pastors in the Kitchener-Waterloo region and was integral in founding and leading their local ministerial.

To register and learn more about the 4Fields Ministry Training, please visit https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/a-plentful-harvest-in-ontario-beyond-god-loves-canada-tickets-440128515237.

In this episode, Matt is joined by lead pastor and church planter, David Pothier of La Chapelle, a French speaking church he planted in the heart of Montreal in 2013.  La Chapelle is multiplying churches with a vision to plant several churches in Montreal, Quebec, and French speaking European countries in the upcoming years. He is the proud husband of Karine and father of four children.

In a span of just a few decades, Montreal underwent a remarkable transformation, shedding its once-revered title of "city of a hundred steeples" to become one of Canada's most secularized urban centers. Today only 0.7% of Montreal's population identifies as evangelical Christians. Nevertheless, amidst this trend of secularization, God is building His Church in Montreal and David Pothier and his team at La Chapelle are no exception.

Matt and David discuss David's own journey of walking with Christ and new realizations about the cost of discipleship.

To learn more about David and La Chapelle, please visit https://lachapelle.me/.

To listen and learn more about La Chapelle Musique, please visit https://lachapellemusique.com/.

In this episode, Matt is joined by pastor, creative and entrepreneur Jason McGobbon.  Jason shares about his passion for music, the arts, hobbies and discipleship.

Jason has been living, working, and playing in Hamilton for 10 years and has loved every minute in the city. Jason, along with his wife and partner in crime Kimberley, have raised four kids in the city. All four children still call Hamilton home, two of them on their own. Jason has been involved in church planting for almost 20 years and continues to give leadership to the Hamilton Fellowships flagship church as well as continued development of our residency program. He most recently authored the study of The Five Marks Of A Disciple - Exploring Leadership through Jesus’ Words (available on Amazon). This study puts on paper his heart to make disciples who make disciples.  Jason’s vision is to establish The Hamilton Fellowships as an incubator and training hub, seeing safe places to explore Jesus started across Hamilton and beyond.

Jason is also a painter, singer-songwriter, and guitarist and can be seen and heard playing around Hamilton and Toronto.

Jason's book, "The Five Marks of a Disciple: Exploring Discipleship Through Jesus' Words," can be found on Amazon.

In this episode, Matt is joined by church planter, pastor and Send Network Espanol Director, JD Fasolino.  

During his senior year of BA studies in economics JD began sensing God’s call to ministry. After completing this degree he enrolled in the Evangelical Seminary of Caracas (Venezuela, where he lived at that time). He completed a degree in Pastoral Counselling while directing his family’s business and serving as Worship and Music Director in his local church managing all aspects of public services. JD and his wife, Andreina, moved to Canada in 2012. In 2013 JD began the task of planting a new church for Spanish speakers in Durham Region called Emmanuel Baptist Church East under the Canadian Baptist National Convention. 

To learn more about JD and his ministry, watch the videos at the following links:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrEYZLF2eCU 
• Emmanuel Baptist Church East website 

In this episode, Matt is joined by Brett Porter, the Send City Missionary with the Send Network for Toronto, Ontario.

Brett shares his journey of coming to Christ, coming to Canada, planting a church and then transitioning to his current role.  Brett has a lot of experience in discerning vocational transitions and shares his lessons reflecting on them.

To learn more about the Send Network, visit http://sendnetwork.ca. To learn more about the Toronto City Team and HealthyChurches.ca visit http://healthychurches.ca. 

In this episode, Matt is joined by Jason Ballard of The Way Church, CCLN (Canadian Church Leaders Network), and one of the original leaders and creators behind the Alpha Youth Film Series.  When Jason is not speaking at events, creating content, and working to inspire and equip leaders, you can find him at home with his wife, Rachael, and three kids. Find him on Instagram at @jasonaballard.

Jason and Matt talk about the creation of the Alpa Youth Film Series, the planting of The Way Church, the founding The Way College and what the most compelling method of evangelism truly is. 

To learn more about CCLN (Canadian Church Leaders Network) visit http://ccln.ca and for The Way Church, visit https://www.thewaychurch.ca/.

Matt is joined by Ben Jolliffe, pastor of Resurrection Church in Ottawa, On., and the host of the Canadian Church Planting Podcast.

Ben shares his journey of coming to faith in Christ, working for Power to Change and then transitioning to church planting.   He shares about the power of developing compelling church statements and what they mean for the church community that will eventually be raised up, lead by and matured. 

Ben and Resurrection Church are part of the Grace Network,  a collection of Canadian churches and pastors that are reformed, missional, gospel-centred and prayerful.  To learn more, visit gracenetwork.ca. 

In this episode, Matt is joined by Mark Burch, Lead Pastor of Northview Community Church in Abbotsford, British Columbia.

Prior to leading Northview, Mark served as Northview's Multiplication and Church Planting Director, and prior to that a National Director with C2C Network and the Mennonite Brethren denomination.

Mark shares his personal journey, the story of Northview and their commitment to leadership development and church planting, as well as his thoughts on the future of the Church in Canada.

Also be sure to checkout The Gospel Coalition Canada's Annual conference in Vancouver from April 22-24, 2024. The theme is “Acts Once Again,” pointing to the reality that Canadians need to remember how the earliest Christians “turned the world upside down” by preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a culture hostile to the truth of Jesus.

Be sure to email events@ca.thegospelcoalition.org to inquire about group rates and visit https://ca.thegospelcoalition.org/tgcc-2024-in-vancouver/ to learn more. 

In this episode, Matt Naismith, our podcast host, reflects on the last month of conversations and does a deep dive into the things that stood out. 

A big thanks to Brady Shearer of ProChurchTools.com, Rob Chartrand of Briercrest College & Seminary, Keith Dow of Karis Disability Services, and Matt Vincent of Lewisville Church, for being part of the last month.

00:00 Introduction to Deep Dive Episodes
01:30 Digital Engagement and Social Media in Churches
07:52 Reimagining Theological Education for the Future
13:52 Serving Alongside People with Disabilities
18:30 Identity and Patience in Ministry Leadership

In this episode, Matt is joined by Mikey Filicicchia of Zoe Toronto in downtown Toronto.  Mikey shares his experience of coming to Christ, planting churches and moving to Toronto to reach the nations.

Zoe Toronto began as a group of friends whose lives were transformed by discovering Jesus together during their university years. God met them powerfully in their small, tight-knit communities centred on the love of Jesus and his good news for the world, and they couldn’t help but dream of a Jesus movement that births and nurtures many such small Jesus communities, filling an entire city.

This group felt God leading them to pursue this dream in downtown Toronto, where they might be a part of a broad and beautiful diversity of Jesus-followers united in their shared faith, deeply committed to one another in love, and wholly devoted to pursuing his purposes together in the city.

If you would like to learn more about Zoe Toronto and their Greenhouse Program, please visit https://www.zoetoronto.com/greenhouse.

In this episode, Matt is joined by pastor, author and podcaster, Daniel Im.

Daniel is the Lead Pastor of Beulah Alliance Church in Edmonton, Alberta, and the author of several books.

His latest book is The Discipleship Opportunity: Leading a Great-Commission Church in a Post-Everything World.  He also wrote No Silver Bullets: Five Small Shifts that will Transform Your Ministry, Planting Missional Churches: Your Guide to Starting Churches that Multiply (2nd Ed), and You Are What You Do: And Six Other Lies about Work, Life, and Love.

Daniel has an M.A. in Global Leadership from Fuller Theological Seminary and have served and pastored in church plants and multisite churches ranging from 100 people to 50,000 people in Vancouver, Ottawa, Montreal, Korea, Edmonton, and Nashville.

Daniel's podcasts have been downloaded over 3 million times, and he currently co-hosts the IMbetween Podcast with my wife, Christina, where they help you discover the tools to build a marriage and family you love. Together, they serve as speakers for FamilyLife Canada’s Weekend Getaway Marriage Conference. 

Daniel has been married to his wife, Christina, since 2006 and they have three children.

To learn more about Daniel, please visit danielim.com.

In this episode, Matt is joined by Andaza Hezekiah, church planter and pastor of Joy Fountain Church in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

In 2007, along with his wife Folusho and their three children, Andaza began holding Bible studies in their Windsor Park home. Over time, Sunday meetings were started and moved to East St. Paul with three families. In 2012 Joy Fountain became a Canadian charity.

Andaza also serves as the Regional Ministry Leader for Manitoba with the Canadian National Baptist Convention and as a church planting catalyst with Send Network. 

In this episode, Matt is joined by pastor and leader, Kesavan Balasingham, who reflects on his journey of coming to Christ, spending years in prison and the power on one one one discipleship.

Kesavan is the pastor of Fellowship Rouge Park a church in Scarborough, Ontario.  He also leads a micronetwork of churches known as the Fellowship network within the Canadian National Baptist Convention, as well as serving as the Regional Director for the Ontario region.

Kesavan is also passionate about the proclamation of God's Word and contributes to the The Charles Simeon Trust which emphasizes the ministry of expository preaching, training the next generation of preachers.  You can find out more by visiting their website and finding a workshop closest to you. 

In this episode, Matt is joined by Bert & Sheila Thomson to talk about marriage, parenting and family life in the midst of church planting.

Since 1989, Bert and Sheila have been active in starting, building and leading ministries and churches in Canada and the United States. Sheila, a native of Kitchener, Ontario, joined a church planting team that started a campus church at the University of British Columbia. Bert, a student from Port Alberni, B.C., studying there, was one of those reached through these efforts and became a leader in the fledgling campus church. Bert and Sheila also met and married at this campus church.

In 1989, Bert left his career as an optician in Vancouver as they both began to feel the tug in their heart toward Calgary to pursue the dream of pioneering a church at the University of Calgary (U-Church). In 1994, when Every Nation Ministries began, U-Church became one of the founding member churches. In 1998, Bert and Sheila were asked to move to Nashville to help with Every Nation Churches and Ministries North American headquarters.

In Nashville, Bert served as the executive pastor of Bethel World Outreach Church and then for five years as the executive director for Every Nation Ministries. However, Bert never lost his heart for Canada and continued to give oversight to Every Nation’s efforts in Canada, helping start churches in Vancouver, Montreal, Ottawa, and Toronto.

Bert enjoys small wood working projects and Sheila is never without a good book to read. They have four grown children, two of whom are pursuing their careers in the United States.

Bert & Sheila pastor Every Nation GTA which is part of the Every Nation Churches & Ministries family of churches.

To get in touch with the Thomson's you can visit https://everynationgta.org/people/bert-sheila-thomson/.

In this episode, Matt interviews Steve Bray, the Director of Mile One Mission and Lead Elder of Calvary Baptist Church in St. John's, Newfoundland.

Mile One Mission desires to see Gospel-centred churches raised up from St. John's to Bonavista; Gander to Clarenville; Salmon Cove to Upper Middle Cove, from Port Aux Basques to St. Anthony and from GooseBay to Nain. As Jesus said 'go' (Matt 28:19-20) it is their conviction to be His witness (Acts 1:8), proclaim the Gospel (Luke 24:47), and see His Kingdom come.

Mile One Mission also started a podcast called Rugged Theology which desires to show how theology affects church planting, every day lives, and provide updates on Mile One Mission.

Steve started The Gospel Coalition Atlantic Canada and is a founding member of The Gospel Coalition Canada Council.  

To get in touch with Steve, you can do so by visiting https://www.mileonemission.ca/staff. 

Matt is joined by Jim DeMarsh and Mark Strickland of Milton Bible Church (MBC) to talk about leading a church to emphasize both the ministry of the word and ministry of the Holy Spirit. 

Jim shares the history of MBC and why things needed to change.  Mark then shares about his history at MBC, leaving and then returning as the new lead pastor. Jim and Mark share practical tools of how to transition a church towards word and Spirit and some of the pain points along the way. 

To attend a Spiritual Gifts Discovery Class, hosted by MBC on Saturday, March 2nd, please visit https://www.miltonbiblechurch.ca/spiritualgiftsclass.  Mark is also planning on doing a teaching series on the Holy Spirit around that time as well.  Past and current messages from MBC, can be viewed at https://www.miltonbiblechurch.ca/pastmessages. 

If you want to learn more about becoming a word & Spirit church, you can checkout the following books and resources:

• The Beginner's Guide to Spiritual Gifts by Sam Storms
• Practicing the Power: Welcoming the Gifts of the Holy Spirit in Your Life by Sam Storms
• The Spirit-Filled Church: Finding Your Place in God's Purpose by Terry Virgo
•  Joy Unspeakable: Power & Renewal in the Holy Spirit by Martin Lloyd-Jones
• Holy Fire: A Balanced, Biblical Look at the Holy Spirit's Work in Our Lives by R.T. Kendall
• Spiritual Gifts Teaching Series by Jon Thompson of Sanctus Church

In this episode, Matt is joined by Chris Synesael of West Village Church in Victoria, British Columbia, to discuss mission through missional communities and why the church must engage the city.

West Village Church began with a conviction that Jesus saves people, changes them, and then uses them.  No matter where they are from or what they know he has a desire to be known in the lives of people.

In 2011, 20 people gathered in Chris and Kellee’s living room and asked the question what would it look like for a group of people to be radically changed by Jesus and then used by Jesus in the city of Victoria.

If you would like to learn more about Chris and West Village, you can visit http://www.westvillagechurch.com.

To learn more about Soma School and to register for Soma School in Victoria, BC visit https://www.wearesoma.com/soma-school.

For more about Missional Communities, watch the video "What is a Missional Community?"  

Matt is joined by pastor and church planter Norm Funk to discuss discerning the call to church planting, how to create an environment to raise up leaders and send them, as well as the essential value of biblical preaching in a church plant and local church.

Norm Funk is the pastor of Midtown Church, a replant of Culloden Church, and the former founding pastor of Westside Church in downtown Vancouver.   During Norm's time at Westside, they helped plant several churches in the Greater Vancouver Area. 

A passionate and gifted bible teacher, Norm has a track record of raising up other gifted preachers as well.

Midtown Church supports a ministry in Tanzania called Hope of the Nations that trains local church planters.   To learn more about Hope of the Nations, please visit https://hopeofthenationstz.org/.

In this episode, Matt is joined by Raja Stone, founding pastor of Uptown Community Church in Uptown Waterloo.  

Raja is a co-vocational church planter and pastor, meaning he pastors his church and works at a major tech company, as well as a local drop-in centre. 

Raja shares the challenges and opportunities of co-vocational ministry and how creating a low-resource footprint is a necessary way forward for the Canadian Church. 

Matt Vincent is the lead pastor of Lewisville Church in Moncton, New Brunswick. 

In this conversation, Matt N. invites Matt V. to reflect on the 200-year history of Lewisville Church while also reflecting on his own ministry longevity and maturation.

This conversation delves into the themes of community, faith, and the historical context of the church. It reflects on the prayers and aspirations of past congregants, emphasizing the continuity of faith and the importance of looking forward to future blessings and community impact.

How does a Church and how we remain faithful over the long haul?  

Takeaways
+The church has a rich history that informs its present.
+Community and faith are intertwined in meaningful ways.
+Historical reflections can inspire current and future actions.
+Prayer plays a crucial role in shaping community dynamics.
+Looking forward is essential for growth and impact.
+The aspirations of past congregants resonate today.
+A church's centennial is a significant milestone.
+Understanding history helps in envisioning the future.
+Blessings in the community stem from collective prayer.
+Engaging with the past can guide future initiatives.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Upbringing
04:07 Discovering a Call to Ministry
07:02 Separating Identity from Ministry Roles
10:42 Evolving Perspective on Ministry Success and Failure
16:07 Serving in New Brunswick: Community and Rootedness
22:20 New Brunswick: A Province of Forests and Small Communities
24:30 Community, Friendliness, and Belonging in Atlantic Canada
27:46 Primary Industries in New Brunswick: Healthcare, Education, and the Irving Corporation
31:02 Rapid Change and Cultural Diversity in Moncton
35:03 Disciplines of Louisville Baptist Church: Hospitality, Shared Meals, and Community Involvement
38:12 The Importance of Prayer and Studying Scripture in Leadership

Find The Sowers at the following: https://linktr.ee/thesowerspod

Matt is joined by Jeff Bennet, Lead Pastor of Harbour Fellowship Church in St. Catherines, to discuss all things evangelism.   Jeff shares his story of growing in evangelism, as well as leading others to do the same.

Jeff and his team have created the website http://www.godlovescanada.com which provides details of their evangelistic method and discipleship tools.

Harbour Fellowship Church is hosting the 4 Fields training from April 22-24, 2024. To find out more and register, please visit https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/a-plentful-harvest-in-ontario-beyond-god-loves-canada-tickets-748095442607?aff=oddtdtcreator.

Matt is joined by Robbie Symons, founding pastor and co-lead pastor of Hope Bible Church, Oakville, to discuss Robbie's calling to ministry, becoming a sending church and the centrality of prayer. 

Robbie's greatest passion is to see Jesus Christ glorified as people realize their potential only through His amazing power.

With a Spirit-led resolve to proclaim the Word of God without apology, to passionately worship His only Son, and to believe firmly in the power of prayer, Jesus is building His Church. Hope Oakville has experienced the power and grace of the Lord in its growth from a Bible study of 18 people in 2003 to over 4000 people today.

God burdened Robbie and the church elders early on with the conviction to plant churches. Through much prayer, they have seen the birth of vibrant churches across Canada in Mississauga (2009), Niagara (2011), Toronto West (2013), Brantford (2014), Kelowna (2014) and Ottawa (2017).

Robbie is also on the board of Great Commission Collective Canada, a diverse collective of churches resourcing and supporting church planting around the world. 

In this episode, Matt is joined by Will Han to talk about Will's radical experience of love through hospitality and the power of a gospel experience vs. gospel statements.

Will Han is a church planting catalyst with Send Network Canada, as well as a church planter. Previously Will served with the Lausanne Movement and planted two churches in Toronto. 

Will contributes to http://www.healthychurches.ca and his work is radically assisting diaspora peoples reach the lost in the city of Toronto. 

In this episode, Matt is joined by Darryl Dash to talk about Darryl's church planting journey in Liberty Village, Toronto.  Darryl shares a story of someone encouraging him to attend a burlesque show (which he didn't do) and how that exposed the gospel need in his neighbourhood.

Darryl shares about his brokenness and how the gospel continued to help him change and motivate him through his years of church planting.

Darryl is the author of three books: 8 Habits for Growth, How to Grow and Preach Well.  Each of these titles are available on Amazon, Apple Books, Google Play, as well as Barnes and Noble.

Get in touch with Darryl via. dashhouse.com or instagram. 

Matt is joined by Daniel Yang, the current Director of the Wheaton College Billy Graham Center Church Multiplication Institute and the future national director of Churches of Welcome with World Relief.  Prior to directing the institute, he planted a church in Toronto where he also helped recruit, assess, and train church planters through the Send Network and the Release Initiative. Daniel has served on various church staffs including Northwood Church, where he was trained as a church planter and involved in global and multi-faith engagement.

Daniel is working on a Ph.D. in Intercultural Studies from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.

Daniel is co-author of Inalienable: How Marginalized Kingdom Voices Can Help Save the American Church available wherever books are sold.

You can learn more about Daniel on his personal website. 

In this episode, Matt is joined by Jacques Avakian, Send City Missionary to Montreal, with the Send Network.

Jacques shares about his personal journey of coming to know Christ and coming to the province of Quebec.  Jacques does a deep dive into the history of Quebec and why this history is so critical in understanding the spiritual condition of the Quebecois.

Jacque can be reached via. the Send Network.  If you would like to learn more about Send, you can visit http://www.sendnetwork.ca . 

Matt Naismith is joined by Brett Landry, pastor of Christ City Church, Vancouver and Executive Director of City to City Canada, to discuss ministry in the urban city.

Brett shares his story of coming to know Christ, his call to ministry and his call to the city of Vancouver. 

Brett can be found via https://christcitychurch.ca/ and https://citytocity.ca/. 

The vision of City to City Canada is equip local leaders to cultivate gospel movements to reach Canadian cities. 

Many of us desire to serve and engage the city we are surrounded by but where do we begin? 

Dwayne Cline joins the show to reflect on his experience leading Hughson Street Baptist Church, now called James North Baptist Church, and how serving and engaging the city begins with the primary leader.
 
Dwayne leads Cline Consulting (www.clineconsulting.co), a business he started to help organizations expand their vision, design the roadmap, assemble the team, build consensus, raise the funds, and build the systems needed to keep things moving forward.

You do not want to miss this episode! 

Matt is joined by Bechara Karkafi, to talk about his upbringing in Lebanon, coming to Christ through tragedy and his calling to reach the nations.

Bechara works with the Fellowship of Evangelical Baptist denomination in Canada as an international missionary, as well as a staff member of their Ontario region church planting team (Feb Central).

To reach out to Bechara, please visit https://www.febcentral.ca/BecharaKarkafiChurchPlantingAmbassadortoArabicComm.

In this episode, Matt is joined by Robin Wallar, the lead pastor of Lift Church. 

Robin shares his journey with planting Lift and how God has used them to spark a movement of disciple making in the midst of pain.

Robin also has a software engineering company called Engage Spaces and would love to assist you in creating an environment for richer disciple making.  Checkout EngageSpaces.com to learn more.

Robin's books "Everyone Sent to Multiply Everything" and "Living Sent," can be purchased via Amazon. 

In this episode, Keith Dow, Manager of Organizational and Spiritual Life with Karis Disability Services, shares his personal journey of faith and how he came to have a heart for the church and disability. He discusses the vision and mission of Karis Disability Services, emphasizing the importance of valuing and respecting the gifts of people with disabilities. Keith highlights the theological foundation for caring for the disabled in the church and the challenges churches face in becoming inclusive spaces. He suggests practical steps for churches to take, such as creating accessible physical spaces, fostering a culture of inclusion, and partnering with organizations that specialize in disability services. Keith also shares examples of churches that are successfully embracing disability inclusion.

Keith holds his PhD in caregiving ethics from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and is the author of “Formed Together: Mystery, Narrative, and Virtue in Christian Caregiving.”

Takeaways:
+Valuing and respecting the gifts of people with disabilities is crucial in creating inclusive church communities.
+Churches should strive to create accessible physical spaces and foster a culture of inclusion.
+Partnerships with organizations specializing in disability services can provide valuable support and expertise.
+The theological foundation for caring for the disabled lies in recognizing the image of God in every human being.
+Churches should be open to learning from the experiences and perspectives of people with disabilities.

Learn more about Keith and Karis Disability Services by visiting http://karis.org. 

Matt Naismith is joined by Jeff Christopherson, Director of Church Planting Canada, to discuss Jeff's own personal church planting journey, how personal preferences get in the way of Christ's mission and what the future of church planting in Canada could look like. 

Jeff is an author, missiologist, church planter, husband, father and grandfather. 

His most recent book, "Once You See: Seven Temptations of the Western Church," is available wherever books are found. 

To learn more about Church Planting Canada, please visit https://www.churchplantingcanada.ca/. 

In this episode, Matt is joined by Rob Chartrand, Program Coordinator for Christian Ministry at Briercrest College & Seminary and co-host of the Church in the North podcast.

Rob shares his journey of coming to faith, going to bible college, pursuing theological education, planting Crosspoint Church in Edmonton, Alberta and then transitioning to academia at Briercrest.

Rob has been in ministry for almost three decades in various pastoral roles and is passionate about developing emerging leaders, making disciples, and planting churches. In his spare time, he likes to read, exercise, renovate, garden, and experiment with various forms of artisanship. He has been married to Karen for thirty delightful years. They have two daughters, Elisa and Bailey, who are both married, and each own a dog. Rob is allergic to dogs.

To learn more about Rob and Briercrest College & Seminary, please visit https://www.briercrestcollege.ca/faculty/profile/?ID=RobChartrand.

In this episode, Matt is joined by Brady Shearer, the creator and director of Pro Church Tools, a business he started to help churches navigate the biggest communication shift in 500 years.

Brady talks about coming to know Christ, how he started a business in the digital engagement space and how he and his team are helping churches, including their most recent project of providing 1000 churches makeovers for free.

To learn more about Brady and Pro Church Tools, please visit https://prochurchtools.com/ and https://www.instagram.com/bradyshearer/.

In this episode, Matt is joined by Jeremiah Capule, a church planter and pastor of a diverse network of house churches called the Alberta Underground in Edmonton and Calgary. 

Jeremiah shares about growing up in the Philippines, working as a scuba instructor and how these experiences prepared him to make disciples in Canada. He also talks about the tension between being busy and doing a lot of 'good' things but not necessarily 'God's' thing. 

To learn more about Jeremiah, you can email him at ck.jerem@gmail.com.