I hear stories about churches doing radio shows in which the pastor would simply field questions about life, the Bible, and theology – a conversation with regular people from their local community who would call and ask questions of the pastor.

How does a church create safety for broken people so they can express their needs without fear? With authenticity and acceptance.

How could our church support local athletes and share the gospel? First Assembly in Medicine Hat has become one of the most highly engaged Canadian churches in chaplaincy to a local sports team. The WHL Tigers organization trusts the church as a partner in the development of their young men. Players in the WHL (ages 16-20) live away from home, balance hockey and school, and face pressure that their peers wouldn’t understand, but they appreciate mentoring with no strings attached.

Can community service transform a congregation? Mill Creek Christian Assembly became like family to Ukrainian refugees. Congregants opened their homes in 2022 as more and more displaced families arrived.

How can our congregation make a difference in our community? Recently, the congregation in St. Paul initiated an outreach to local indigenous people and have seen many residents from Saddle Lake, Goodfish, Kehewin, Fishing Lake and Frog Lake reserves attend Sunday services in 2023.

How can you reach more families with young children? Many churches struggle with this question as they find that they are an older congregation or they think they don’t have the volunteer capacity to reach out to families. Here are some simple ways you can reach families with young children that won’t cost you a lot of money and utilize a lot of volunteers.

How many hours a week are you in your community? I encourage pastors to allocate 5 hours a week to be in their community, connecting with non-believers and building bridges of connection to people not a part of the church. Here are some ways to get out of your office and into your community.

What are some of the best ways to build a good relationship with a local school? Here is a field manual from a practitioner on how to build a healthy relationship with a public school in your community.

What does a vitalized church in Canada actually look like? The reality is every church is on a trajectory and we can’t look at an individual month or year, but we need to look at the overall trends and characteristics of a church that is vitalized. Let’s look at 5 characteristics of a vitalized church.

How can our church make a difference in our local public schools? Why not walk across the street to your local public school and see what the question, “What do you need and how can we help?” leads to?

Why are churches unable to stay open and grow? In an age where the Canadian population is growing, churches nationwide seem to be shrinking. The media calls it “the age of secularism,” but I call it a “wake-up call for the churches in Canada.”

Is there a place I can find trustworthy support for the call of God in my life? We increase the opportunity for success by surrounding ourselves with those who raise us up.

Our Canadian churches have the greatest opportunity to reverse the trend of decreasing Christian influence in Canada. It works when we obey Christ and shed off everything else. We invite you to join us at the Church Vitalization Summit on August 29 and 30 for two 90-minute virtual sessions on reversing the trend in Canada.

Where are you seeing God working in your context? God is working in rural Canada through churches with long-term community engagement and creating a reputation for being community builders.

Our Canadian churches have the greatest opportunity to reverse the trend of decreasing Christian influence in Canada. It works when we obey Christ and shed off everything else. We invite you to join us at the Church Vitalization Summit on August 29 and 30 for two 90-minute virtual sessions on reversing the trend in Canada.

What kind of strategies will help me break the 100 barrier, and why I should care? The 100 Opportunity is just that – an opportunity to get unstuck, reach people, grow yourself, and your church. We all know that attendance is not the be-all and end-all of church. However, it is one part of the character of your church. Some leaders see 100 in attendance as a “barrier,” but it really is an opportunity. An opportunity to spur congregational prayer, community impact, and make new disciples. Isn’t that what you pray for?

On May 10, 2023, over 260 pastors and ministry leaders from across the Alberta and Northwest Territories gathered for a round table for a family forum-styled conference to discuss what it means to “Belong, Grow, and Serve” together in the PAOC family in our region. The day was buzzing as people made new connections, visited with old friends and dialled into the day's agenda. Here are seven things that we learned at this past District Conference.

What is one thing I can do to be a better leader? Churches that see healthy growth have people who are pursuing God and getting a fresh sense of God’s passion for the lost every week. There are many things a congregation can do to see healthy growth but two that only a pastor can do.