Purpose
THE EASTERN CANADA MISSION CENTRE (ECMC)
The LUKE 11 ONE-MONTH VISION ROAD TOUR
APRIL 2010
The LUKE 11 ONE-MONTH VISION ROAD TOUR
APRIL 2010
THE INCREDIBLE CANADIAN HARVEST!
Most Americans think USA and Canada are so much the same because for example, we so look the same, ie we have the same Starbucks. But spiritually speaking and from a church infrastructure, we are two worlds apart.
Folks have asked me to give them a comparison to explain the difference. Because I’ve become a College Football Fan in 2009, I tell them the church in the USA compared to Canada is like College Football (or even NFL) as compared to our pro-football – two worlds apart!
So for example, the real lostness in Canada is anywhere between 93 to 95%. Where I live, in Canada’s Capital City of Ottawa, which is in the middle of the Eastern Corridor (Windsor Ontario to Quebec City Quebec – only 4.25% of the total Canadian land mass), indeed more like 5% of the population have a personal saving relationship with Jesus.
But what is more astonishing is the 99.3% lostness among the French people in the province of Quebec – that’s for 7 million people!
The rhetoric about truly reaching out and sacrificing to this incredible lostness needs to stop. Something urgent needs to be done. A great investment needs to be made. God has giving me a plan. But I need your help.
THE URGENCY OF THIS REQUEST
The Lord gave the Canadian National Baptist Convention (CNBC) back in 1998 a vision of planting 1000 churches by year 2020. In the last 10 years we have grown to about 275 churches, from where we were back then at about 140. We will need about 725 churches in the next 10 years to reach this gigantic vision.
The contrast between what was done in the last 10 years and what needs to be done in the next 10 years is quite unbelievable. We truly need a miracle!
But right now the CNBC Church Planting Budget is about $300k per year for all of Canada. Though the CNBC is very grateful to partnerships like the North American Mission Board, or the International Mission Board, or with individual Church Partnerships or with State Conventions, from my vantage point as a local church pastor, we will never make our CNBC 2020 vision as this rate with this kind of financial leverage.
THE CREDIBILITY BEHIND THIS REQUEST
I left my career as an Officer in the Military, including the security of a pension, in order to go to Seminary and then plant a church. That was in 1994. In 1999 I planted Sequoia Community Church with a multiple staff team – never seen before in the CNBC.
In 10 years, we have planted two other churches; we’ve tried planting two others; we’ve been on mission around the world, ie in partnership with a church in Dominican Republic where we’ve sponsored over 85 kids through Compassion Canada; we’ve become one of the larger churches in our CNBC, though we are still trying to break the 300 attendance barrier; 65% of our people have been baptized at Sequoia; we’ve been anywhere between the 3rd or 4th largest givers to the Cooperative Program; we were the first church to win the “Service Club / Non-Profit Organization of the Year Award” for our city because of our practical Christianity into the community; etc – to the glory of God!
And recently, the Lord has pushed me to take another crazy step of faith – to let go of being the Lead Pastor at Sequoia (where there is “security”) and lead full-time in the pioneering vision for the ECMC (where these is no “security”).
THE APPEAL AS A SIMPLE PASTOR!
So I appeal to you as a simple pastor who’s been fighting on the spiritual battlefront for the last 11 years. God’s task for me now is to catalyze a “Mission Centre” for 50% of Canada’s population.
It is important to note that this is not a request of the CNBC – this is Sequoia’s initiative. It is my initiative. It is God’s calling on my life! And though I have also been the President of the CNBC for the last two years, this appeal is regardless of my role as President. I would resign tomorrow if this appeal would be seen as a conflict of interest.
I am therefore not a paid staff of the CNBC or NAMB or IMB. This is Sequoia Church’s and my step of faith, but not for ourselves, but for the great church planting need for our CNBC in this 50% of Canada’s population!
But finally, I am also appealing to you as a French Canadian who has a vision to reach out to the most unreached people group in North America, if not the world!
THE CATALYST FOR THIS REQUEST
As I was fasting and praying in the Upper Room of the ECMC on Monday January 18th, 2010, the Lord led me to Luke 11. I believe the Lord wants me to apply verses 5-10.
Though I know the following may sound crazy, I know, but I truly believe the Lord is asking me to go on a “Vision Road Trip” for the entire month of April where I will “Ask, Seek and Knock” with “boldness”, even if at “midnight” if need be, for the great need in Eastern Canada.
ASKING, SEEKING, KNOCKING – BUT WHAT?
I am simply asking for $1 for every soul in Eastern Canada. That would be for 16 million souls!
Yes I am Asking, Seeking and Knocking until the Lord reveals an individual or individuals who will give $16M for the great lostness in Eastern Canada!
I know of churches who have had building expansions in the millions. I know stories of individuals who can also sign cheques in the millions, whether for church or para-church facilities or even academic institutions. I am looking to find those Kingdom Investors who have a heart for the lost, for Canada!
WHAT IS THE REQUEST?
The request is simply that you would contact these kinds of potential Kingdom Investors and allow me to share the ECMC vision in person.
It’s a new decade. The time is urgent. Our need is great in Canada. And I am a simple pastor, but with a great vision from the Lord. And I have put my status, security and salary on the line to prove it. I am walking in real faith. And I believe so much in this, even at a cost to my wife and kids whom I will be away for a month.
So please, I beg you, I know you know people who may know people who could truly help us out. I am simply asking you, because of your relationship with them, to give me 5 minutes, ½ hr, whatever time someone would give me, to share what the Lord has placed on my heart for Canada.
