Western Canada’s population is growing rapidly and lacks enough churches to meet the spiritual needs of communities large and small, rural and urban. Here is why:
God is commanding us to go! God is calling us to go into our world – locally, regionally, nationally and internationally (Matthew 28; Acts 1)
The need is critical - the ‘Harvest’ is plentiful! More than 10 million people live in the 4 provinces and 3 territories of Western Canada. The 4 western provinces have the fastest rising population in Canada despite the recent economic downturn. There simply aren’t enough churches to meet the needs of a growing population. (Matthew 9)
There is a deep spiritual hunger in Canada! Contrary to myths about religious decline, 88% of Canadians remain religious by identification even if they don’t go to organized services today. Of those who don’t go to services more than monthly, 55% indicate they would be open to greater involvement. Source; Reginald Bibby, Restless Gods, Novalis: 2000. (Proverbs 29:18)
The nations of the world are coming to Canada! About 250,000 new immigrants are arriving in Canada every year – leading to an intense demand for churches that meet their needs. For example, in the Lower Mainland there are 130 Chinese-speaking churches – 25% of the total – and the numbers are increasing rapidly each year. (Psalm 2:8)
Many Canadians are looking to belong to a Christian community that is active in their growing faith, is theologically moderate and Biblical, outward looking and engaged in their neighbourhoods, expressive and sincere in worship, concerned for social justice and creatively, lovingly sharing God’s good news. They are looking for churches like those in the Canadian Baptists of Western Canada. Go West!
Vision and Goals
Our Church Planting Vision
Canadian Baptists of Western Canada are committed to a vision of:
Inviting Faith. Acting in Mercy. Cultivating Leaders.
We are committed to fulfilling the Great Commission of Matthew 28: going out into the world to making disciples. Sharing the love of God, through evangelism and acts of mercy and justice are deeply important to us.
As Western Canada continues to grow – even in difficult economic times – too many people who love God or who are seeking God lack a community of worship, fellowship and service. All of Western Canada is under-churched. We want to change this by reaching out to share the good news of Jesus Christ and to plant new churches. Many of our church planters have stated that up to 75% of the people who are a part of their plants are new or re-committed believers.
Our vision is to rapidly multiply the number of Christians worshipping in our churches. And that means multiplying our churches too. Go West!
Goals
Today, the Canadian Baptists of Western Canada has 168 churches with 100,000 worshippers. Our goals:
2015: 150,000 worshippers in 250 churches
2020: 300,000 worshippers in 504 churches
Tripling the number of Canadian Baptist worshippers and tripling the number of our churches can only be done as God leads, inspires and guides us – as our present churches engage in partnering and as entrepreneurial leaders respond to the call of the Holy Spirit to begin new plants. Go West!
Defining Church
Defining Church
The church of God is not a building.
God’s people are His church, His body. In every local community in Western Canada, God’s people desire to come together to worship Him and deepen our relationship with Him. We desire to come together as a family of believers with a common purpose of sharing God’s love with each other and our neighbours. This is the church. Go West!
Churches have their unity in Christ. This unity creates a shared identity. Groups of Christians who share an identity and theological beliefs within a local setting become local churches. These churches usually incorporate formally with a constitution, bylaws and defined leadership. Almost everything else is optional and based on the church’s needs. Buildings or even fixed meeting places are not essential. We can have paid or volunteer staff. We can choose our styles of worship, our areas of ministry, our personality. There is no right way to be a church.
Just as our churches are each unique, church plants can be born in many ways and grow to have a unique character. Gone are the days when all churches were created using a cookie cutter, one-size-fits-all approach.
Present Models of Church Planting
These are some models for church planting. Any given church plant may include a portion of each of these models. The model of church plant will be determined by the leaders and is best chosen to fit the needs of the community in which the church will be started.
Parent/Child: An existing church or church planting organization (mother) provides the initial leadership and resources (money and/or people) to get a new church (daughter) started. This includes the selection of the church planter. Often the church planter is selected from within the organization and already agrees with the vision, values and beliefs of the sponsoring organization, or has been employed with a view to planting. The existing relationship allows for a close working relationship between the “mother” and “daughter” churches. Although the new church is autonomous, the sponsoring organization often has significant influence in the new church (including decision making during the pre-launch phase). Advantages often include increased financial resources and the ability to draw core team / launch team members from the sponsoring organization.
Cold Plant: A church planter and family move into a new location to start a church from scratch. The planter has very little connection with or existing support within the new area. The planter and their family are “pioneering” new territory. Where there is great risk, there is great reward, but this approach is not for the faint of heart and requires a person particularly gifted in personal evangelism. Advantages of this approach include flexibility, and the ability to reach otherwise unreached areas. The disadvantages might be the effort required to integrate with a new community, and possible lack of financial and personal support.
Partnership Networks: This is a growing trend where an organization/or organizations committed to working together to plant churches. These informal alliances are referred to as collaborative or partnership networks. The participating groups often share common beliefs and a passion for starting new churches.
Multi-Site Church: An existing church opens new locations. This is attractive to larger churches. Smaller churches have also successfully implemented the strategy. Motives range from reaching more non-Christians to making more room at an existing location. The evolving multi-site model is proving important in creating an entrepreneurial spirit of multiplication within existing churches. Where multi-site multiplication results in multiple leadership teams and replication of all aspects of church, then this method is a relevant form of church planting. Where the new expression is integrated into the current organisational unit, then no church plant has occurred, merely an extension work of an existing congregation.
Affiliations: Occurs when faith communities share similar beliefs but would like to have autonomous worship experiences while sharing the same space. Planters often get many of the benefits of the “sponsoring church” model but with increased autonomy in decision making. This pattern can cross denominational, ethnic/multi ethnic boundaries.
House Churches (Seeds): Small groups form and multiply via a network of people meeting in homes. In some cases, the individual cells are connected in a larger network that meets together periodically in a large group setting. This relational model focuses on personal growth, care and teaching through one-on-one and small group discipleship. Groups are birthed through multiplication, and, often die, only to resurface months or even years later. This model requires very little funding.
Restart: An existing struggling church decides to bury the old and plant a fresh new church. The restart may or may not be at a new location and may or may not be with the same leadership. The resources of many older stagnant churches are a good way to bring new life to the community being served.
Split: This is not really a church planting method, but nonetheless is the agency through which many new churches occur. A split typically occurs when competing groups conclude there is less energy required to “split” or “divorce” than to resolve differences and reconcile. The underlying factors causing the split often develop over years. In many cases, the dysfunctional character traits of the old church carry forward to the new churches, but the passion on both sides of the argument can often lead to surprising growth. Not to be recommended as a strategy!
Note that many churches combine these basic models.
The Affiliation Process
Churches of the Canadian Baptists of Western Canada voluntarily associate to form the denomination. Churches that vote to join the CBWC are assigned to be part of a specific geographic and administrative region: BC/Yukon, Alberta/NWT and the Heartland (Saskatchewan & Manitoba).
Two Avenues for Affiliation
There are two types of churches that can join Canadian Baptists: churches that already exist independently or that are affiliated with another denomination coming into existence within the denomination.
Common to both are:
An organized life of not less than one year
A membership of 20+ active adult members (over 18 years)
Formal organization
Bylaws and constitution
Steps to Take
If you are interested in affiliating with the Canadian Baptists of Western Canada, we will be delighted to welcome you. The affiliation track is a process that includes:
Contacting Pastor Tom Lavigne, Director of Church Planting for Canadian Baptists. Tom will forward you an affiliation package (entitled Our Story) and set up an interview with you. Together you will go through a process of prayer and discernment.
Affirming a planting/affiliation vision and mission with God and a local team.
Developing a partnership relationship with a local CBWC pastor and church.
Assessing the Planter and/or Planting Team
For Pastors - complete and submit a Ministry Information Profile (MIP) to DCP/CBWC
Developing and forwarding a copy of your Ministry Plan (church’s vision, mission, and membership covenant, statement of faith, constitution, bylaws, directors, membership list and budget) to the DCP, Proposal Adjudication Team (PAT) and Regional Office.
Appropriate funding may be made available for an approved Ministry Plan after consultation with the DCP and Executive Staff.
Completing the Provincial and Federal Registration processes.
Sending a copy of the Minutes from a Membership meeting requesting affiliation.
Having an interview with representatives of the Regional Executive.
Sending representatives to the CBWC Assembly to be received into membership after the vote of the Assembly.
