Around Town: Multiply Conference, Peace Meal, after Missions Fest . . .

Francis Chan will be one of the keynote speakers at Multiply Conference March 2 – 3.

Church planting. Some seem to think it’s a panacea, others question it. Most believe growth is a good thing, but are still not sure quite what that should mean in a city like Vancouver.

Multiply Conference will be an ideal opportunity for church leaders to think about church planting in some detail. The event will take place March 2 – 3 at Westside Church in the downtown core.

The sponsor, C2C Network, is definitely committed to church planting, but it is also aware of some of the red flags. On the one hand, it urges action:

What might happen if every existing church from coast to coast were to re-capture Jesus’ vision for mission, for multiplication, for radical generosity and intentional discipleship.

‘Multiply’ has been designed with the established church leader in mind as we seek to fan into flame God-given dreams for kingdom expansion in Canada!

We look forward to lifting up the name of Jesus in worship, being inspired by stories from the front lines of Canadian ministry, as well as a great line-up of international guests! Return home with renewed vision and hope of what Jesus will do in your community.

Mark Clark

On the other hand, pastor Mark Clark of Village Church in Surrey and speaker at the conference said in a recent blog posting on the C2C site:

. . . we sometimes lose sight of what church planting is actually about. It’s not about planting churches, or gathering some Christians in a different spot than they were already gathered. It’s not about Launch Teams and proposals; coaching and preaching or learning how to be a ‘visionary leader.’ All those things are hugely important, but church planting isn’t about church planting as a thing itself.

Church planting is about evangelism. It’s about reaching people who don’t know Jesus.

Jeff Vanderstelt

One of the more encouraging things about watching the church in Vancouver over the past few years is seeing the number of new church plants. We need more. So I welcome keynote speakers Francis Chan, Jeff Vanderstelt and Larry Osborne, as they try to encourage mild-mannered Vancouverites to focus on winning the city for Christ.

I have seen all three speak very effectively during visits to town over the past couple of years – Chan at Voices Together last summer, Vanderstelt and Osborne on behalf of C2C.

Francis Chan is a very popular pastor, speaker and author (Crazy Love, Forgotten God, Erasing Hell . . .). Here is a portion of his vision statement:

Larry Osborne

Never in human history have Christians consumed more sermons and books. Yet few are finding fulfillment in their walk with God. This is not from a lack of consumption but rather a lack of exercise.

It is through risky obedience that we experience the glory of God. When we stop living by faith, we will stop experiencing Him, and begin to doubt Him. Our hope is to stir you to action (Hebrews 10:24) so that you experience the “life that is truly life.” (1 Tim 6:19)

Jeff Vanderstelt leads the Soma Family of Churches and is lead teaching pastor at Doxa Church in Bellevue, Washington. He is the author of Saturate: Being Disciples of Jesus in the Everyday Stuff of Life.

Norm Funk

Since 1980, Larry Osborne has served as one of the senior pastors at North Coast Church in Vista, California. During that time, North Coast has grown from a fledging group of 128 meeting in a rented high school cafeteria to a multi-site church ministering to over 11,000 in weekend attendance. He trains leaders, pastors and church planters. His books include: Thriving in Babylon, Accidental Pharisees and 10 Dumb Things Smart Christians Believe.

Other speakers include local pastors Norm Funk (conference host, at Westside, Vancouver) and Mark Clark (mentioned above), along with Jon Thompson (C4 Church, Ajax, Ontario), Marc Pilon (Axe21, Sherbrooke, Quebec) and Guy Mason (City on a Hill, Melbourne, Australia).

Planning the Peace Meal tour

Russ Rosen (left) and Justyn Rees are always ready to perform, even at their Missions Fest booth.

I ran into Justyn Rees and Russ Rosen down at Missions Fest, and as usual they have a creative new project on the go. They’re working on Peace Meal, “a music and story show that addresses the current fear that is increasingly gripping the world because of the wave of religion-inspired violence that seems to come closer every time you turn on the TV.”

Both are well known around town. Rees is a storyteller, author, evangelist and pastor, but he also founded one of Britain’s first Christian rock bands (“even before Larry Norman”). Rosen is a musician with many albums to his credit, and is active in several other creative activities.

Over the years, they have worked together in a number of ways. Inspired by the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada’s urging that every Canadian be given the opportunity to see, hear and experience the gospel by the year 2000, Rees and Rosen led a team of 25 young adults on a five-year mission from Vancouver Island to Newfoundland. They sang, danced and preached the gospel of reconciliation in Jesus to a nation threatened by Quebec separation, partnering with groups of churches in each town they visited.

In the past couple of years, they have presented Christmas Tales in churches and halls all over the province.

This spring, though, they would like to encourage ministerials and groups of churches to partner with them in presenting Peace Meal. Here’s the premise:

Justyn, our storyteller, brings to life three characters in conflict – Peter, the bigoted believer; Judas, the bigoted skeptic; and Thomas, the fence-sitter. Russ and his band drive the story deeper as they weave familiar and passionate original tunes throughout the show.

The show opens with the characters arguing around the table and, as it unfolds, they are confronted with their own attitudes that jeopardize peace. The visual aids that Jesus used to explain the gospel of peace – water, bread and wine – bring home the power of forgiveness for peace-making.

Rees and Rosen (joined by long-time partner Brett Ziegler) would ideally like to present Peace Meal on a Sunday morning for a church group, then have congregants bring friends to some intimate presentations a couple of weeks later. Several shows are already planned, including one at Trinity Baptist March 24. They would like to book shows through to mid-May.

To contact Rees and Rosen about the possibility of hosting Peace Meal, go here.

After Missions Fest

Missions Fest is over, but there are at least a couple of ways to learn more about the biblical basis for missions and how to take a more active role:

Ying Kai, with his wife Grace.

* Disciple Multiplying Small Group Training with Ying Kai, February 5 – 6 at New Life Community Church in Burnaby. See this article for more information.

* Cantonese Kairos Course, February 9 – 20 at Vancouver Chinese Alliance Church (Knight Street). This is a nine-session, interactive course on world Christian mission – in Cantonese, of course.

* Perspectives Course, February 11 – May 19 (Thursday evenings) at Tenth Church. Its purpose is to mobilize the Canadian church for mission.

Feb 2016

Mar 2016

Thomas Heilke on Religion's Engagement with the Secular – March 1, 2016 at 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm
A Catholic-Evangelical Conversation: Seeking Unity in Our Common Faith in Christ – March 1, 2016 at 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Multiply 2016 – March 2, 2016 - March 3, 2016 at All Day
Vancouver Pastors Prayer Fellowship – March 2, 2016 at 10:30 am - 12:30 pm
Business By the Book: Herman Kwee – March 2, 2016 at 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Jonathan Wilson: How to Read Stanley Hauerwas – March 2, 2016 at 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Multiply Conference: Francis Chan – March 2, 2016 at 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Art & Spirit: Robert Bateman – March 2, 2016 at 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Jazz Evensong: Eli Davidovici – March 2, 2016 at 8:00 pm - 9:30 pm
Preaching Out of the Rest of God – March 3, 2016 at 9:30 am - 3:30 pm
Fear Drives Out Love: Living with Anxiety as a Christian – March 3, 2016 at 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Keeping Your Children on God's Side with Natasha Crain – March 3, 2016 at 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Academic Symposium 2016 – March 4, 2016 at 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
World Day of Prayer – March 4, 2016 at 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Apologetics Canada Conference 2016 – March 4, 2016 - March 5, 2016 at 7:00 pm - 4:00 pm
The Blue Sapphire of the Mind: Contemplative Practice and Ecological Responsibility – March 4, 2016 at 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Vancouver Chamber Choir: Choral Tapestry - Our Heritage of Song – March 4, 2016 at 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm

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Around Town: Multiply Conference, Peace Meal, after Missions Fest . . .

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